Alcohol Dosing in a Reef Tanks

fencer · #1 07-23-2008, 08:33 PM

I started using vodlka in my reef tank 2 months ago after reading the comments on RC. While some dosed to the point of bacterial overgrowth, I chose a slight different thinking. I wanted to use this a a secondary carbon source for coral feeding. My first choice was vinegar but I have to neutralize first, too much trouble. Acetate ion are more readliy incorporated in to the coral biochemical pathway. First of all I don't have a very high bioload...no fish. I use ozone and dose with salifert supplements once a week. The total volume of the system is about 100g. I started dosing at 2ml/100gallons over a period of 6 hours. I stopped when I noticed changes in the tank. This was a a dose rate of 10ml of alcohol/day. Here is what I saw your results may differ:

1. Tank clarity was better
2. No algae except for this fuzzy ball stuff and even it has slowed down
3. I can no longer grow cheato in the sump or anything else
4. My pod population has exploded
5. Brown fuzzy SPS's started losing hair(not all of them), instead there are now white polyps waving in the water
6. Becasue of 5, colours in the corals are now staring to show. Starting to look like Snappy's tank

I will add more comment when I start seeing any changes

christyf5 · #2 07-23-2008, 08:40 PM

Any pics?

I was just reading this article earlier. Has some merit to it.

Der_Iron_Chef · #3 07-23-2008, 08:46 PM

Yup, just started doing this today. I'll be dosing 0.4ml VSV (Vodka-Sugar-Vinegar) mixture daily. I'm also adding an Amino Acid Supplement daily, as well as, of course, maintaining proper tank parameters.

christyf5 · #4 07-23-2008, 08:47 PM

are you adding the zeo amino supplement Drew?

Pier Pressure · #5 07-23-2008, 08:48 PM

Cool - I cannot afford to get the fishes and corals wasted. Can barely afford it for myself. Kidding!

Der_Iron_Chef · #6 07-23-2008, 08:49 PM

No, I looked for it here but couldn't find it anywhere. I bought the Seachem product in the interim. Any experience with this?

Oh, I should also note that I'll continue to dose Zeobac @ 2 drops twice per week, to sustain bacterial cultures.

fencer · #7 07-23-2008, 08:51 PM

After talking to several people with "super" SPS tanks most have amino acids as a supplement. No pictures, Just those brown acros started getting colour

christyf5 · #8 07-23-2008, 08:52 PM

I have used the seachem one but not with enough regularity to notice any differences in my tank. Currently I'm using the FM UltraAmin product. Haven't noticed any differences with that one either. Kinda feeling a bit let down with the FM system, although it has killed off a goodly portion of the rampant brown wafer algae I was dealing with earlier in the year but that S on my forehead is like a beacon these days so I'll continue with it for awhile longer I guess

Der_Iron_Chef · #9 07-23-2008, 09:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fencer

After talking to several people with "super" SPS tanks most have amino acids as a supplement. No pictures, Just those brown acros started getting colour

I'm hoping for this very thing

I have to say that some SPS I have been attempting to rescue have showed improvement (first, the polyps turned from brown to bright green, and one one, the tips are a bright blue as opposed to brown). But my problem was always with the nuisance algae.

Quote:

Originally Posted by christyf5

I have used the seachem one but not with enough regularity to notice any differences in my tank. Currently I'm using the FM UltraAmin product. Haven't noticed any differences with that one either. Kinda feeling a bit let down with the FM system, although it has killed off a goodly portion of the rampant brown wafer algae I was dealing with earlier in the year but that S on my forehead is like a beacon these days so I'll continue with it for awhile longer I guess

Maybe it's the FM system killing off your wafer algae, or maybe it's your increased diligence due to the strict adherence to a system? I don't know. Anyway, I'm interested to see what happens here.

hillbillyreefer · #10 07-23-2008, 11:35 PM

I'm a closet vodka doser too. Been doing it since mid-May. I'm upto 3ml in my 24 and 3ml in my 45. Haven't seen much of a difference in GHA growth. I have noticed that the skimmate is thicker and nastier. Far better polyp extension on all my SPS. I haven't seen anything bad happen either.

It sure is funny when company sees you pull out a bottle of vodka at 9 am. Then walk over and put a shot in the fish tank for your alcoholic fish.